Jared Goff vs. Carson Wentz: Breaking down two MVP candidates by the numbers

Quarterbacks being taken first and second in the draft is nothing new. It’s happened three times in the past five years alone, most recently with Jared Goff and Carson Wentz starting off the 2016 NFL Draft with a bang.

The Rams and Eagles both made blockbuster trades to land their respective franchise quarterbacks, and each has already paid dividends after less than two full seasons.

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On Sunday, the two will square off for the first time ever when Wentz’s Eagles pay Goff’s Rams a visit. While they’ll never be on the field at the same time, all eyes will be on the star-studded matchup at quarterback.

And although this Week 14 battle has huge playoff implications, with the winner moving one step closer to clinching a first-round bye, Goff and Wentz are the headliners of this show. There’s no reason they shouldn’t be, either.

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Goff and Wentz are the primary reasons their teams are 9-3 and 10-2, respectively, and their individual performances make them worthy of the MVP award. That’s unusual for two second-year quarterbacks to battle for the most coveted individual award in the NFL, but it’s undoubtedly the truth with regards to Goff and Wentz.

They have a chance to be everything we wanted from Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, or Andrew Luck and RGIII, or even Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. But who’s been the better quarterback? That depends on a variety of things, but looking at each player’s stat line, Wentz appears to be having the superior season.